Qamil Çami
Encyclopedia
Qamil Izet Çami was an Albanian
rilindas, poet, and teacher. He and other rilindas from his area opened the first Albanian-language school of Filiates
in 1908 .
, then a town of the Ottoman empire
on January 4, 1875. In his youth he became a member of the literary club of Albanian students of Ioannina
. After graduating in Istanbul
he was appointed minor prefect of Sagiada
in 1905. In 1907 also starting working as a teacher in the Ottoman school of his town, Filiates and taught written Albanian
secretly. On August 25, 1908 along with other rilindas opened the first Albanian-language school of Filiates and became its headmaster. The funds were provided by the people of Filiates, such as Musa Demi
, rilindas of the area and by other notable Cham Albanians
like Rasih Dino
, son of Abedin Dino
.
During the Balkan Wars
, he was imprisoned in Ioannina
by the Greek
army. He managed to escape after 10 months and went to Vlorë
. In 1917 he was appointed director of education of south-eastern Albania
and was located in Moscopole
. In 1920 the Italian army
imprisoned him in Sazan because he helped members of the Albanian independence movement. He was released from there after the end of the Vlora War
on August 4, 1920. In 1922, after the proposal of Jani Minga
to the Albanian government, Çami became prefect of Konispol
. From 1924 to 1927 he worked voluntarily as teacher of the Albanian language for the Cham Albanian minority of Thesprotia
, Greece (Çamëria), in the area of Paramythia
.
He died on September 26, 1933 in Tiranë. His poems were published after his death. He is considered as one of the poets of the later era of the Albanian National Revival.
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
rilindas, poet, and teacher. He and other rilindas from his area opened the first Albanian-language school of Filiates
Filiates
Filiates is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the prefecture, bordering western Ioannina Prefecture and southern Albania.-Municipality:...
in 1908 .
Life
Qami Çami was born in FiliatesFiliates
Filiates is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the prefecture, bordering western Ioannina Prefecture and southern Albania.-Municipality:...
, then a town of the Ottoman empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
on January 4, 1875. In his youth he became a member of the literary club of Albanian students of Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
. After graduating in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
he was appointed minor prefect of Sagiada
Sagiada
Sagiada is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filiates, of which it is a municipal unit. Its 2001 population was 897 for the village and 2,160 for the municipality. The seat of the municipality...
in 1905. In 1907 also starting working as a teacher in the Ottoman school of his town, Filiates and taught written Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
secretly. On August 25, 1908 along with other rilindas opened the first Albanian-language school of Filiates and became its headmaster. The funds were provided by the people of Filiates, such as Musa Demi
Musa Demi
Musa Demi was an Albanian revolutionary and writer. He was one of the main proponents of the Albanian National Awakening in the region of Filiates, Paramythia and Igoumenitsa .- Life :...
, rilindas of the area and by other notable Cham Albanians
Cham Albanians
Cham Albanians, or Chams , are a sub-group of Albanians who originally resided in the coastal region of Epirus in northwestern Greece, an area known among Albanians as Chameria. The Chams have their own peculiar cultural identity, which is a mixture of Albanian and Greek influences as well as many...
like Rasih Dino
Rasih Dino
Rasih Dino was an Albanian politician, diplomat and a figure of the Albanian national movement of the early 20th century.- Life :Rasih Dino was born in 1865 in Preveza to the notable Dino family of the area. His father was Abedin Dino, one of the founders of the League of Prizren...
, son of Abedin Dino
Abedin Dino
Abedin Dino was a Cham Albanian politician, rilindas, one of the founders of the League of Prizren , and one of the main contributors in the Albanian independence....
.
During the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, he was imprisoned in Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
by the Greek
Kingdom of Greece
The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the Convention of London by the Great Powers...
army. He managed to escape after 10 months and went to Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
. In 1917 he was appointed director of education of south-eastern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and was located in Moscopole
Moscopole
Moscopole was a cultural and commercial center of the Aromanians, and now a small municipality in Korçë District, modern southeastern Albania. At its peak, in the mid 18th century, it hosted the first printing press in the Balkans outside Istanbul, educational institutions and numerous churches...
. In 1920 the Italian army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
imprisoned him in Sazan because he helped members of the Albanian independence movement. He was released from there after the end of the Vlora War
Vlora War
The Vlora War or the War of 1920 was a series of battles between an Italian forces garrisoned throughout Vlorë region and Albanian patriots divided in small groups of fighters. The war lasted three months and had great impact in the struggle of Albania for the safeguard of its territories at a...
on August 4, 1920. In 1922, after the proposal of Jani Minga
Jani Minga
Jani Minga was a patriot Albanian teacher and a notable follower of the National Renaissance of Albania. He was one of the signatories of Albanian Declaration of Independence. Minga took part in every Congress on the Albanian language that took place before the declaration of independence, most...
to the Albanian government, Çami became prefect of Konispol
Konispol
Konispol is the southernmost town in Albania. It sits one kilometer away from the Albanian-Greek border. The municipality consists of the town Konispol and the village Çiflik.The town's main interests are agriculture and viticulture...
. From 1924 to 1927 he worked voluntarily as teacher of the Albanian language for the Cham Albanian minority of Thesprotia
Thesprotia
Thesprotia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the Epirus region. Its capital is the town of Igoumenitsa. It is named after the Thesprotians, an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region in antiquity.-History:...
, Greece (Çamëria), in the area of Paramythia
Paramythia
Paramythia is a village and a former municipality in Thesprotia, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Souli, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. Population 7,859 .-Name:...
.
He died on September 26, 1933 in Tiranë. His poems were published after his death. He is considered as one of the poets of the later era of the Albanian National Revival.